Looking Too Closely
by Princess Expecto
Summary: Life of Harry Potter is perfect. He has a great family, attends his dream school and lives in the paradise-like coast of Cornwall. His friends also live a perfect life. The Weasley family is big and unique, Hermione Granger is A-student and Draco Malfoy lives in a huge mansion. But you can ruin this beautiful picture just by looking too closely.


It was July. A very warm one. That day there was no cloud in the sky, but the leaves on the trees gave enough shade. But the high temperature was balanced by the light wind which blew occasionally.

Godric's Hollow was rather a quiet town. Of course, not counting the moments when the tours were coming, smaller or larger, to see the family home of Godric Gryffindor, the patron of the village and the place of his birth. However, the visitors were always calm and behaved well. So just imagine the astonishment of inhabitants, when an old Ford England was driving insanely fast down usually empty roads and was full of shouting people whose common and characteristic feature was red hair.

The car drove down the stone paths for a few minutes until it turned to one of the gravel-strewn side roads. Finally, it stopped at the roadside and the passengers began to get off. Molly and Arthur Weasley were the first who have left the vehicle. Right behind them came two twins, Fred and George. Then Ron and the youngest of the siblings, Ginny. All six stood in front of a small fence guarding a lovely grey stone cottage. There was a green ivy around its walls, covering the peak over the mint entrance door. All the windows on the floor were wide open, allowing the snow-white lace curtains to gently dance in the wind.

Suddenly, from one of the windows, a face emerged. It belonged to a boy with black, messy hair and intensely green eyes hidden behind round glasses. When he saw the guests standing in front of the gate, he smiled broadly and disappeared into the depths of the house. A moment later, he was already running down the gravel path, bending with his legs the stems of flowers that so beautifully bloomed this summer.

"Finally you are here!" he shouted cheerfully.

"Harry!"

Ron and Harry fell into each other's arms. Moments later the boy was hugged by the twins, Mr and Mrs Weasley, and at the very end by Ginny. The girl shyly greeted her friend, but Harry got carried away by the moment and did not seem to mind her embarrassment. He hugged her so hard she could barely breathe.

"Happy birthday," she said when he finally let go of her.

She took a tiny gift from a black leather purse. The gift was wrapped in red glossy paper and tied with a gold bow. Ginny handed him the box.

"I hope you like it," she added, smiling gently.

Before he could thank her, he was again attacked by Molly Weasley's wide shoulders.

"How fast this time flies! You and Ron were just starting the first year! Who would have thought you are now sixteen years old..."

Harry managed to free himself a little bit from her embrace and said:

"Well, somehow it happened... Maybe we'll go in?"

The woman let him go. He opened the gate and let Mrs Weasley and Ginny through. Ron and Harry followed them. Fred came in last and closed the gate with a metal hook.

"Mom! The Weasleys are already here!" Harry shouted, speeding his pace.

The Weasleys followed him down the path that led to the house. He stopped in front of a big weeping willow and bent her leaves so they could go to the back of the house to the hidden garden behind. It was definitely bigger than one might have anticipated, and it was protected from the curious gaze of neighbours by a boxwood planted close to the fence.

The garden was full of a thousand colours because of the vastness of flowers that filled it. Beautiful red roses, pansies, marigolds and nasturtiums filled the air with its scent. In the distance, beside a flowering bush of hydrangea stood a wooden swing, lined with soft and cream-coloured cushions. A few steps away you could find a small pond with a tiny stone waterfall, over which the birch bent. And in the middle of all this stood a woman with red hair, tucked into a messy bun. She was waving her wand, setting up a wooden gazebo in the middle of the chaos she was ruling as a queen. The son's second call pulled her away from her job. She turned and smiled broadly at her friends.

"How was your trip?" she asked, slipping her wand into the back pocket of trousers. "Welcome. I was not expecting you so fast, so I have to hang down yet some modest decorations."

"Need any help, honey?" Molly Weasley was not waiting for Lily's reply. She rolled up her sleeves and followed the woman into the kitchen.

Harry scratched his head.

"Sit down," he said, pointing at the chairs.

Everyone took a seat at a wooden table. On the left side of the birthday boy sat Ron, and on the right Fred. The twin poked him in the arm.

"Where is Hermione? I thought she's here."

"She was supposed to be yesterday but she didn't make it to the airport. She should be in about half an hour though. Dad already left to pick her up."

Fred nodded. On the table in front of them appeared a blue and white plaid cloth. The jugs of freshly made lemonade began to flow onto him. The drink was nicely chilled with ice cubes.

"Hi boys!" Sirius came out through the open terrace door. His white undershirt was greasy as he just finished tinkering in his motorcycle. He was holding a flannel shirt on his back. He put it on and sat down in front of Harry. "Hello, Arthur! And you Ginny. How is the business going, George?"

"Pretty good," he said smiling, then turned to his brother. "We do not complain about the lack of customers. Right, Freddie?"

The boy raised his head and looked unconsciously at George. A moment later he nodded.

"Yes, yes. We're good."

Ron laughed quietly, and his older brother glared at him. Harry looked at his friend questioningly.

"What?"

"Fred is very absent lately. I mean, from the moment you and Hermione arrived at the Burrow at the beginning of summer. Don't you remember how he was bragging about the shop? I think he has a thing for her.

"For Hermione? But she is ..."

"... definitely working too much!" said Mrs Weasley, carrying a huge bowl full of fruits. "You should rest, my dear!"

"You are exaggerating, Molly. In summer I have fewer orders than during the year. Recently I got a book with stories for kids and that's all. And besides, I like what I am doing," said Lily Potter, placing a tray of snacks on the table. She sat down beside Sirius and sighed. "It's hard times now for illustrators, you know? People seem to start imagining things!" she laughed. She changed the subject quickly. "Harry, on the other hand ... Harry definitely has imagination. He's dreaming of becoming an Auror!

"An Auror?" said Arthur Weasley incredulously, but his voice was filled with admiration.

"Mom!" The boy blushed.

"No, no, Harry, there's nothing to be ashamed of! It is really impressive that at such a young age you know what you want to do in the future. It's such a responsible profession."

"But how dangerous!" Molly Weasley looked surprised too. "I knew this whole Alastor Moody's course was a bad idea! Fortunately, Ron wants to become a sportsman."

"And how about you, Ginny? Do you have any plans?" asked Sirius.

The girl looked up from the glass filled with lemonade.

"Me? I have not yet..."

"Oh, I signed Ginevra for a great course for youth in the Daily Prophet. For a week she will feel like a real journalist!"

"Narcissa told me that this course gives many opportunities in the future," said Lily, smiling at the girl.

Ginny smiled back.

"By the way, how is she holding up?" Sirius stopped joking for a moment.

"As good as she can, given the endless process of her husband. Severus supports her. At least she's not alone. Have you not talked to her lately?"

"Since Snape has become number one guest, I rather avoid my dear cousin," he said snappily.

"So you'll be glad I invited them to our dinner today."

"You did what?!" Harry and Sirius screamed.

"I invited Draco, Narcissa and Severus for a birthday party. Yesterday I got confirmation from them."

"Merlin's beard, Lily!"

"Mom! You invited Snape!"

Harry's groan was inaudible because of Ginny's joyful squeal.

"It's Hermione! Hermione arrived!"

The girl jumped up from her chair and ran to the front of the house. Ron and Harry followed her. Fred also rose from the chair, but quickly changed his mind.

"Ma'am, where is the bathroom?"

"At the end of the corridor and then left."

Fred walked into the house, and his twin brother giggled quietly, sitting in his chair. Molly Weasley glared at him. A few moments later, four friends were passing through the garden. Hermione smiled widely. She was dressed in denim dungarees and a t-shirt patterned with red and white stripes. She tied her fluffy brown hair into a braid. She had rosy cheeks and her skin was tanned. She was talking to Ginny and the boys.

"Ms and Mrs Weasley, Mrs Potter, good afternoon!" Her voice was cheerful and melodious. "Sirius! Hi, George. Where did you lose your brother?" she giggled.

"Probably somewhere between the kitchen and the bathroom," he laughed.

"How was Bulgaria?" - Harry pushed her chair away and released Crookshanks from the cage. The cat quickly jumped on his owner's knees. He snorted when saw Ron. The boy shuddered. "Tell us everything!"

"It was great! The first day we went to Sofia and stayed there for two days for some sightseeing. Dad took a lot of pictures. I sent you postcards, but I have no idea when you'll get them. From Sofia, we travelled by train to Plovdiv, where we saw a lot of churches and even a mosque. We went also to the Archaeological Museum and gallery. Viktor took me in the evening for a training ...

"For a training?" Ron snorted.

"Yes, for a training. And I had a really good time," Hermione said firmly. "I think his friends liked me. We spent together a few days. He showed us the city, as he called it, out of the guides. By the way, his mom makes a really good baklava.

"Mom, we have to go there someday!" Ginny said, staring at her mother with a puppy face.

"You know, honey...

"If the business will go like that, you have this granted, sister. Of course, if you agree, Mom," said Fred, who suddenly appeared at the table. "Hi, Hermione." The boy leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

"Hi, Fred."

Then James Potter came out of the house. Before he sat down, he hugged his wife.

"When the Malfoys will come here?"

"They should be here within an hour."

Harry got up from his chair.

"Maybe we will go to my room, and later you'll call us, okay?

"Great idea, Harry! I'll go grab a bottle of wine!" Sirius said, clapping his hands.

Hermione laughed and together with Ginny, Ron and the twins started following the friend. The boy led them through the kitchen and dining room until they reached the corridor in the second wing of the house. They climbed up the stairs and entered the room just in front of them. Harry's room was rather messy. There were papers, notes and slips from the Daily Prophet lying on the floor and on the bed was thrown a black shirt. There was a small hill of opened candy boxes, which Harry received as part of the gift from Sirius. The only impeccably clean place in his room was Hedwig's cage and the stick on which she was sitting. She looked at the owner and the guests, then roared quietly.

"Sorry, girl. Go now," Harry said and opened the window so the bird could fly. "Sorry for the mess.

Hermione and Ginny sat on the bed, Ron on a rotating chair. George and Fred began to look around the room.

"New poster?" Ginny asked, pointing to the image of Finbar Quigley, the Beater of Irish Quidditch team Ballycastle Bats.

"Yes, I hung it a few days ago. Are you a fan of them?"

"I prefer Harpies."

Harry smiled.

"Are you prepared for the last year of freedom in Hogwarts?" George looked up from the Hungarian Horntail figure, who was walking on the bookshelves filled with books from last year.

"Last year of freedom?"

"Now it will only get worse. OWLs were easy. NEWTs will make you wanna die."

"'Cause you are such experts in NEWTs," snorted Hermione.

"Please, Hogwarts was not for us. And I do not see that we somehow made a bad deal."

"Have you got your results? Fred was talking rather to Hermione than to the others.

"Nine Outstandings," she replied, smiling broadly.

"And one Exceeds Expectations. Tell them from which subject."

Hermione winced.

\- From the Defence Against the Dark Arts.

"And Harry got Outstanding!" Ron added quickly.

"MAYBE WE'LL HAVE LOOK AT YOUR GRADES, RONALD?!" Roared the angry girl, rising from the bed.

Ginny grabbed her hand and pulled her back down.

"Calm down. Both of you," Harry said quickly, shaking his head. "Don't argue. At least on my birthday.

"Happy birthday, by the way, but you have to wait for the gift from me and Fred because I'm not so sure whether your parents or our parents were happy with its content." George winked.

Ron smiled and Hermione raised her eyebrow.

"But you don't have to wait for opening mine!" Ginny reminded.

Harry took the box from his desk and ripped the paper. Inside he found Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and a small envelope.

"Ticket for the match! Thanks, Ginny!"

"We are also going, me and Ron. I would not miss the opening of the season, nor the Holyhead Harpies," she added with a smile.

The boy looked at her thoughtfully for a long moment. He looked up at Hermione's grunt.

"Harry, a word?"

He stood up and followed the girl who closed the door behind them. She leaned against the wall and looked at her friend with a smile on her lips.

"You have a crush on Ginny, don't you?"

Harry snorted with laughter.

"What? Please, she is like a sister to me. And by the way, she happens to be the sister of my best friend. Ginny is almost a part of my family."

Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Apparently I misjudged the situation."

Silence fell.

"You did not pull me out of the room just because of that?"

The girl looked down, still silent.

"Hermione?" Harry reached out and lifted her chin up. "I know you. There's something wrong. What is it?"

"I feel strange when Fred looks at me like that. Especially in front of you," she muttered at last.

He sighed.

"I think he might have a thing for me, but ..." she added and then stopped.

"You're not the only one. Ron thinks so too."

"Ron talked to you about this?"

"He mentioned it when we were downstairs," he explained quickly. "Hermione, you should talk to him. If you feel uncomfortable with his behaviour then you have to tell him or he won't know that he's doing something wrong."

"I know."

Suddenly they heard a silent crack. It was coming from the street.

"The family reunion part two," Harry snapped and adjusted his glasses.


End file.
